Climate change and environmental degradation is increasing the world’s vulnerability and exposure to risks, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable communities. Recognizing our global collective responsibility to take urgent mitigation and adaptation measures, the humanitarian community has a responsibility to support vulnerable communities to increase their resilience to the impacts of the climate and environmental crises. Equally, humanitarian organisations have a responsibility to take a more serious approach to limit their own climate and environmental footprint and strengthening the environmental sustainability of their actions, so as to not contribute further to the crises.
In order to capture learnings, experiences and good practice, the Green Response Working Group has undertaken research to understand the barriers and enablers for effectively greening practices and strengthening environmental sustainability at an organisational level across the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. The study focused on interviewing Movement components, environmental experts and local humanitarian actors with the aim to provide practical guidance for further action. The findings and recommendations have been turned into a Checklist for organisations within the Movement (and beyond) to help them to effectively green practices and strengthen environmental sustainability.
